The days are growing shorter. Brisker evenings encroach upon golden afternoons (although not so much in the Northeast—it's still hot out there!). Kids are grumbling about the start of another school year. The prevalence of pumpkin-flavored items well before the start of fall is reaching a distressing level, like the appearance of Christmas decorations before Halloween.
It's also time to check out my summer reading list!
As I wrote last year, I usually try to read something "classic," nonfiction, and "something quick" during the summer. Let's see how I fared.
And remember: It should be a joy, not a chore.
"Tales from the Clergy: Stories Inspired by Ghost" Various
Do you love the theatrical rock/pop/metal styling of the band Ghost? Relish satanic and occult themes in your horror tales? Well, this collection of short stories inspired by songs from Ghost might be for you! (Full disclosure: I was lucky enough to have one of my stories included in this anthology.)
The stories range from subtle to splatterpunk, with some referring overtly to the song titles and others more obliquely. I won't list them all, but some of my favorites include:
"To Dust You Shall Return" by Jo Kaplan (Mummy Dust)
A charismatic preacher rolls into town claiming to heal the sick and the dying with the ashes of Jesus Christ. A young woman witnesses one of his "miracles" during a revival and wants to learn the tricks of the trade. But she's not interested in healing anyone.
"The Goat Priest" by Matthew M. Bartlett (He Is)
God-fearing parents who believed their estranged daughter lost to the evils of the world receive a letter that she's about to be married. And they're invited. Sure, the church seems strange and the guests quite odd, but that's no reason to get nervous. Right?
"Figgy Pudding" by Vivian Kasley (Con Clavi Con Dio)
A man and his pregnant wife are spending a cozy Christmas Eve at home. Oh, look, carolers! Just like in the movies. Only this ensemble isn't interested in regaling the couple with song. They want something. Something for their trouble.
"Tales from the Clergy" features 14 additional stories that are sure to satisfy your horror cravings, whether or not you're a fan of Ghost. And I was thrilled to be a part of it.
I'll classify this as a "quick" read.
"Zombie" Joyce Carol Oates
Versatile may be the best word to describe Joyce Carol Oates. She's written novels, poems, short stories, plays, and essays across many genres. I'm familiar with her work on a small scale. I've read "Black Dahlia & White Rose," a collection of short fiction leaning toward the weird and unsettling, and "Night-Gaunts and Other Tales of Suspense" sits patiently on one of my bookshelves. I've also read a handful of her other short stories in various anthologies. "Zombie" was my first venture into one of her novels (albeit a short one).
It centers on Quentin P. Quentin's life is similar to lots of guys in their early 30s. He has a doting grandmother. His parents are loving and want what's best for him. He has court-appointed psychiatry sessions stemming from his guilty plea to a sexual misdemeanor against a minor. Oh, and he's obsessed with creating a zombie that will obey his every command.
OK, strike the last two sentences (I hope). If the zombie part sounds familiar, it's because Oates borrows heavily from the life of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. This story, told in diary entries and stream of consciousness, doesn't pull many punches as it explores Quentin's dark desires and gruesome ambition of creating a sex slave. If you're looking for a glimpse into a damaged brain, then "Zombie" will not disappoint.
I'll chalk this up as another "quick" read.
"Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked" Adam Alter
This fascinating look at behavioral addiction begins with a dismaying and alarming prologue titled "Never Get High on Your Own Supply." It reveals how many tech titans, including Steve Jobs, did not allow their kids to use electronic devices even though they championed their products to the masses.
Why? Because they realized those gadgets and apps are engines for obsession and addiction.
Technology isn't inherently evil but can become a conduit for unhealthy behavior. And humanity excels at unhealthy behavior. For example, fitness trackers can help inspire people to move around and get some exercise. However, it can also become problematic. The book highlights cases where people obsessed over reaching an arbitrary goal despite protests from their bodies.
The "Social Interaction" chapter discusses an experiment conducted in the 1950s and 1970s in which kittens were deprived of specific stimuli, with chilling results. The observations suggested that there are critical periods in which sensory experiences shape neural connections to visual perception. Essentially, "the visual cortex inside these poor kittens' heads had been pickled forever, and even exposing them to normal environments for the rest of their lives did nothing to reverse many of the effects of their stunted early lives." If you extrapolate these findings, the experiment underscores the importance of children and adolescents interacting face-to-face, not just online.
"Irresistible" is well-written and compelling, with many scientific studies and first-person accounts of technological addiction. It's worth a read if you're interested in how we're all going to hell in a handbasket while mindlessly fiddling on our phones.
I'll check this off as nonfiction.
"The Wind Began to Howl" Laird Barron
This was my first foray into the Isaiah Coleridge detective series. I usually don't jump into a saga out of order (this is the fourth installment), but I came across a GoFundMe page earlier this year that was started to help Barron with his healthcare costs after he became ill. One of the updates noted that this was his newest book and profits from the pre-orders would go straight to Barron, so I ordered a copy (which included a personalized autograph).
It's a sad world when getting sick can leave you in devastating financial straits, but this isn't the place to get into that.
I'm a fan of Barron's style, which incorporates punchy and sometimes dense prose and usually leans toward the weird. I've read two of his short story collections ("Occultation and Other Stories" and "The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All"), and his short stories appear in almost every Lovecraftian and cosmic horror anthology on my shelf.
"The Wind Began to Howl" combines crime, neo-noir, and strangeness that had me riveted from the beginning. Coleridge was once a mob enforcer in Alaska, but he's turned away from that life and now works as a private eye in New York State. One day, an old mafia acquaintance asks for his help: A mutual friend has run into some legal trouble with his new film, "The Wind Began to Howl." The key is finding The Barnhouse Effect, a trippy two-member band that has disappeared.
This novella was a fun read and featured a ton of quirky, interesting characters. The story moves briskly, and I was able to follow things despite not reading the preceding books. I'm not sure I fully grasped the ending, but I enjoyed the ride. I think you might, too.
I'll mark this off as a "quick" read.
Weird Tales: Cosmic Horror Issue
Vol. 70, No. 1 Issue 367
Various I'm a sucker for "cosmic horror," so when the revered Weird Tales announced it was releasing an issue dedicated to this genre, I couldn't resist.
Sure, it's not the Weird Tales from the 1930s, but these stories still delivered the goods. I appreciated all of them, but some of my favorites include:
"Night Fishing" by Caitlin R. Kiernan
A mysterious narrator describes their sessions with their psychiatrist. It doesn't sound like the therapy is working, but it's the only way to get those desperately needed pills. We discover why after hearing the story about the girl in the cellar and the bizarre purchase at an estate sale.
"The Last Bonneville" by F. Paul Wilson
A chief engineer for a space exploration company offers a ride to an old man walking along a desert road. They get to talking, and the elderly fella alleges he was on Apollo 8. He also claims that while up in space staring into the void, the void stared back. And spoke.
"Concerto in Five Movements" by Ramsey Campbell
Claudia is a cellist in an orchestra headed by a peculiar conductor. They are rehearsing a curious piece of music, something not performed in the composer's lifetime. Yep, there's a reason for that.
The issue also features two poems and two nonfiction pieces.
Give into the weird. You'll be glad you did.
This doesn't satisfy any of the categories I mentioned earlier, so I'll log this under "other."
"Sack Exchange: The Definitive Oral History of the 1980s New York Jets"
Greg Prato
If you know anything about me, you know I'm a fan of the New York Football Jets. I've had my eye on this book for a while and finally took the plunge and purchased it earlier this year.
Published in 2011, "Sack Exchange" tells the story of the team from the perspective of Jets players, coaches, trainers, a "super fan," and others from the mid-70s through the 1980s. Here are just some of the names offering their viewpoints: the Sack Exchange (Joe Klecko, Mark Gastineau, Marty Lyons, and Abdul Salaam), Wesley Walker, Al Toon, Ken O'Brien, Richard Todd, Mickey Shuler, Randy Rasmussen, Walt Michaels, and Joe Walton. Some opposing players also offer reflections of that time, including former Buffalo Bills quarterback Joe Ferguson and Miami Dolphins linebacker A.J. Duhe (Boo!).
The oral history format was an entertaining stylistic choice. It reminded me of "The Office" occasionally because interviewees sometimes had different takes on the same thing. For example, here's Clark Gaines talking about the Jets uniform and helmet change in 1978: "I think the players embraced the change. ... (it) kind of made you feel like a real jet plane—sleek, innovative, creative. I thought it was a great move." Wesley Walker: "I didn't like it. ... I actually hated it."
Incidentally, in case you didn't hear, the Jets are introducing a "throwback" version of those uniforms this year.
I became a Jets fan in the early to mid-80s, so this hit the sweet spot for me. It was wonderful (and heartbreaking) to relive the triumphs and tribulations of the teams from my youth. If you're a Jets fan or just a football fan of that era, "Sack Exchange" will take you back to the halcyon days of the NFL in the 1980s.
J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets!!!
I'll score this under "quick" read (even though it checks in at over 430 pages) and nonfiction. A two-point conversion!
"The Oedipus Cycle"
Sophocles
It's the story I knew but never read—until now!
At least the first part.
The following contains "spoilers" in case you haven't read these plays and wish to in the future.
"Oedipus Rex"
When a terrible plague afflicts the city, Oedipus sets out to find the cause, unearthing a prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother. Determined to prevent this fate, he launches a quest for the truth, ultimately discovering that he unknowingly fulfilled the prophecy. After the reveal, Oedipus's wife/mother takes her own life, and Oedipus—overwhelmed with guilt and despair—blinds himself and is resigned to a wretched life of exile.
"Oedipus at Colonus"
This is the continuation of the story, picking up 20 years after the events of "Oedipus Rex." In this play, Oedipus arrives at the sacred grove of Colonus, near Athens, with his daughter/sister, Antigone. He later discovers that the leaders of Thebes want to bring him back to the city because the oracles say his presence will protect whatever land he is buried. Full of resentment, Oedipus refuses to aid Thebes (in fact, he curses it) but promises his blessings to Athens. In the end, Oedipus dies at Colonus, ensuring its prosperity and security.
"Antigone"
The final part centers on Antigone, who returns to Thebes following a bloody siege. Creon, the king of Thebes and Antigone's uncle, decrees that Polynices, Antigone's brother and the son/brother of Oedipus, who fought against Thebes and died, is considered a traitor by the state and will not receive a proper burial. Antigone defies Creon and sets out to bury her brother. When Creon finds out, he condemns Antigone to be sealed in a vault. The play ends with a series of tragic deaths, leaving Creon to face the consequences of his pride.
Get all that?
I'm sure that reading the original Greek would make for a much more rewarding experience, but I think this translation by Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald was top-notch. The prose is smooth and poetic, full of powerful themes. I'm no scholar of classic Greek literature, and there were times when I didn't understand everything, but the plays moved quickly and kept me engaged. Even if you're not in a college lit class (which I certainly am not), I recommend delving into this cycle.
I'll file this under the "classic" category.
And that's it. Not terrible: two nonfiction (one of which was also a "quick" read), one "other," four "quick" reads (total), and one "classic" work.
What about you? Read anything good this summer?
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